


Eros

by porposie



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-10-31 21:54:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17857637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/porposie/pseuds/porposie
Summary: The sketch showed a broad-shouldered, robust man hovering in the air, feathery wings flowing behind him. His left hand was gripping a bow, while his right was stretched back, poised to release the taut string that held back a sharpened arrow. Below the image read the short epigraph:“Cupid: God of Love.”-A story in which Cupid visits the Salvatore boarding school, but things don’t go quite as expected.





	1. A Strike from Above

**Author's Note:**

> A lyre is a “small U-shaped harp with strings fixed to a crossbar, used especially in ancient Greece.”
> 
> Direct any general comments/suggestions/questions here or towards my (slightly inactive) Twitter at: @porposie

It had been approximately two weeks since the last monster made its unwelcome appearance at The Salvatore School. While the absence of invasive, supernatural creatures was much appreciated, tensions were still high all throughout the school. Students were still recuperating from the nightmares that had consumed them weeks prior, unable to shake the horrific manifestations of their worst fears. It was only a matter of time until the next one appeared and, dangerous or not, no one was looking forward to it.

 

Unbeknownst to the bustling students, their next visitor had already arrived. A few feet above their heads, perched atop a tree branch, sat an imposing figure with a large pair of feathery wings sprouting from his back. His chiseled features, fair skin, and lustrous, curly hair resembled that of a Classical-era Roman statue. In his left hand he gripped a bow; in his right, a freshly sharpened arrow. Scanning the students in the field below him, he set his sights on a target. Her cheery demeanor and sanguine smile disguised her as a happy person; however, her aura said otherwise. She was the perfect victim.

 

 _Pull_ , _align_ , _and_ _release_.

 

Seconds later, Josie Saltzman collapsed mid-stride. Shouts immediately erupted as students swarmed around the girl, curious and concerned about the sudden arrow that had struck her from behind. Moments before losing consciousness, Josie vaguely remembered hearing her father’s voice, demanding the students to disperse.

 

* * *

  

Josie woke up in a familiar room. She had been in her dad’s office too many times to not immediately recognize her surroundings. However, the question still remained of how she had arrived there in the first place. The last thing she remembered was walking to class, and then she awoke in her father’s office. Sitting up from the bench she was resting on, Josie scanned the room in search for answers. To her surprise, there was another student in the office as well. Sitting on her father’s desk and playing with a pen was none other than Hope Mikaelson. The young tribrid seemed bored, clicking the pen in a disinterested and listless manner. Her other hand rested on the desk, nails tapping impatiently against the glossy wood.

 

“How long have I be—,” Josie started before getting interrupted mid-sentence by a sudden sensation that struck her from within.

 

Hope had looked up from her mindless fidgeting to meet Josie’s eyes. The second their eyes met, Josie felt a pang in her heart. It wasn’t painful; however, it was strange and certainly unexpected. She had only felt something similar a handful of times, many months ago. Hope raised her eyebrows in slight amusement before lowering herself from the desk and walking towards Josie. With each step, Josie felt her heartbeat quicken until it was almost pounding out of her chest. She would be shocked if Hope could not hear it, being that they were now mere inches from each other. She watched warily as Hope raised her hand and gingerly placed it on Josie’s forehead.

 

“You’re burning up. Do you want me to get your dad?” Hope asked, her eyebrows furrowed together in concern.

 

Putting aside what she was currently feeling, Josie gathered herself together enough to respond. “What exactly happened to me? The last thing I remember was walking to class... how’d I get here?”

 

Hope dropped her hand and smiled sympathetically. “You were struck with an arrow and then passed out. Your dad brought you back here, but your wound had already healed itself. He’s with Dorian right now trying to figure it out, and he assigned me to watch over you.”

 

Josie brought her hand up and gently brushed it over her back. She vaguely remembered feeling a stinging sensation on her lower back, but the area in question now remained completely smooth. Furthermore, she felt completely fine and well rested. The only thing troubling her was the relentless sensation in her heart that was intensifying by the minute. There was something brewing deep within her, something carnal, that she was finding more and more difficult to suppress. Sensing her anxiety, Hope sat down next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder in an act of reassurance. This time, Josie could not help the physical reaction that ensued. Her body jolted up, startling both her and her confused classmate.

 

“I have to go,” Josie blurted. The slight waver in her voice betrayed the sense of confidence she was trying to display.

 

Before Hope could respond, she was already making a break for the door. She could feel the other girl’s curious and questioning eyes trail her as she quickly fled, but there was no time to provide an explanation. Exiting the room, Josie felt her whole body tingle as the warmth in her shoulder spread to the rest of her body. Whatever was going on, she had to find her father immediately.

 

Unbeknownst to her, there was more than one pair of eyes following her movements.

 

Fortunately for her, Hope had given her useful information concerning her father’s whereabouts. By the time she arrived at Dorian’s office, her body had calmed down considerably. It was almost as if the short, silent walk had eradicated the physical sensations entirely. Mentally, however, Josie could not seem to organize her thoughts. Whenever she tried to focus, her mind would wander back to a certain redhead. The way her full lips looked at they parted slightly, the softness of her hand against her forehead, the genuine concern in her eyes... those same piercing eyes that had greeted her when she woke up...

 

 _Wait._ _What_ _was_ _she_ _thinking?_

 

Nerves were one thing, lust was another. Josie and Hope were just beginning to get along. The day they had spent together picking up garbage had kickstarted their friendship, and their bond had only strengthened since. She had come to the realization that the two of them had many things in common. Their family backgrounds were equally tragic in their own way, and they both had troubling dynamics with the people in their lives. She had spent so long avoiding Hope for Lizzie’s sake that she had missed out on a genuine friendship. She couldn’t ruin what they had with these foolish thoughts. Perhaps the impact from falling on the pavement had given her a concussion. Shaking her head to clear it, Josie knocked on the door to Dorian’s office twice before opening it. She wasn’t quite sure what she was expecting, but the sight that greeted her was far from it.

 

Strapped to a chair by circles of rope was a muscular man with snowy white wings that rose to the ceiling. Even slouching, his presence towered above everybody else in the room. The mysterious man appeared to be completely nude, though it seemed Dorian or Alaric had haphazardly strewn a towel over him in an attempt to make him more decent. Nevertheless, he seemed completely fine with the lack of clothing. A bed of thick curls framed his ovular face and slightly obscured the sky blue eyes hidden underneath. His skin was smooth and spotless, and Josie wondered if his body contained a single blemish. The menacing sneer that spread across his perfectly defined facial features when he met Josie’s gaze confirmed that he was confident, perhaps even cocky. Josie averted her stare, only then noticing a lyre propped up on the table. Next to it lay a bow and a quiver of arrows.

 

“Dad... what’s going on here?” Josie finally spoke up.

 

Alaric spun around. “Josie, what are you doing here? You should be resting.” His tone was stern, but his kind eyes revealed that he was relieved to see his daughter was well again.

 

Brushing off her father’s concerns, Josie took a cautious step forward. “Who is this?”

 

Alaric hesitated, before remembering the promise he had made of involving his daughters more. “We believe he may be Cupid, the next monster and probably the one that shot you,” Alaric said, motioning towards the statuesque man. “We found him under a tree outside. It didn’t even seem like he wanted to escape. Other than that, we don’t know much.”

 

The Cupid waited for Alaric to finish before rolling his eyes and huffing indignantly, “For the last time, my name is Eros,” he exclaimed, “... and I’m no monster. I am the great and powerful son of Aphrodite!“ His voice was booming, while his chest heaved with the force of his words.

 

“Apparently, you were the only person that the Cupid could shoot before we detained him,” Dorian stated.

 

 _Cupid._

 

Josie had been shot by Cupid. Since the monsters started coming, Josie had made it a habit to study books on all sorts of supernatural beings. According to her studies, Cupid was known for mischievously pairing together humans, making them fall in love. His weapon of choice was a bow and arrow, with the arrow being the magical component. An individual who was even slightly grazed by the arrowhead would fall victim to Cupid’s powers. Being the son of Aphrodite, he was strong but still not as strong as his mother. He had spent most of his time fulfilling his mother’s small demands and then meddling in the lives of unsuspecting mortals. After accidentally scraping himself with an arrow, he fell in love with a mortal himself. This despicable act alienated him from his mother and transformed his reputation from a slightly respectable young man into an unforgivable and foolish child. Books had even illustrated him as a baby to reflect his immaturity and foolishness. Josie was so caught up in her thoughts that she almost missed Dorian’s question.

 

“Tell me... did you see anybody before you got here?” Dorian asked warily.

 

“Hope,” she blurted out quickly. Perhaps she had answered a beat too fast. It wasn’t her fault that the word was all that was running through her mind. _Hope,_ _Hope,_ _Hope._ It repeated in her mind like a metronome. Hope, with her alluring eyes and luscious, auburn waves of— She was brought out of her thoughts again by the boisterous laughter coming from the man seated in front of her.

 

“Smitten already, are we?” the Cupid chuckled. His eyes gleamed with mischief, the corner of his mouth curling up. Josie chose to ignore him.

 

“Are you feeling anything strange?” Alaric inquired.

 

 _Yes,_ _very_ _much_ _so._ But Josie couldn’t tell her father that. If there was a new creature here, that meant it wanted the urn. Josie didn’t want her father’s concern for her to get intertwined with his mission of protecting the urn.

 

“No, of course not. I don’t feel anything.” Perhaps that was a bit overkill. “I mean, I’m fine. Completely fine,” she corrected herself. Luckily for her, Alaric was oblivious enough to believe her.

 

“Okay... but tell me if anything feels off with you. I’m going to try to figure out more about why he’s here,” Alaric said, albeit with some reservations.

 

Josie nodded her head and turned to exit the office. Considering the day she was having, she deemed it necessary to retire to her room and do a bit more research on what she was going through.

 

* * *

 

Josie awoke the next morning with an irritable crick in her neck. Sitting up straight, she realized she had fallen asleep at her desk in the midst of researching the new monster. One of the books, which she had used as a pillow, stared back at her tauntingly; the inky black print was beginning to look more like meaningless scribbles than text. The sunlight streaming through her windowsills and the sound of the incessant morning birds chirping confirmed that she had greatly overslept and likely already missed a few of her classes. Her homework lay abandoned at the corner of her desk while stacks of books on supernatural entities filled the rest. While Josie wasn’t normally so proudly reckless, she didn’t regret her decisions, as she had learned a plethora of information before involuntarily falling asleep. For starters, the sensation she was feeling was, in fact, romantic love. She had to take a step back at that realization when she first read it. After all, how could one suddenly love another in a matter of seconds? The second thing she learned was that, after getting shot, the first person one sees after gaining consciousness is the person they fall in love with. This explained the weird feelings she had begun to develop towards Hope, and her sudden infatuation over every minute detail surrounding her. Surprisingly, this fact was more comforting than anything. It confirmed that Josie was not being delusional, and her condition was actually being brought on by an external force. However, she still wasn’t satisfied. The towering stack of books on her desk demonstrated how incomplete she still felt with her research. The one answer she needed the most was the one she couldn’t find. None of the books had even danced around the mention of a cure; it was as if it had been completely wiped from history. That could only mean one thing: Josie had to go to the source itself. Begrudgingly, she got up and prepared herself for the confrontation that would occur later.

 

* * *

 

Of course, secrets never truly remained secrets at a school like Salvatore. Josie had heard through the grapevine that there was a new monster being stowed away in the cellar. Fortunately for her, that was the extent of the students’ knowledge. No one knew what it had done to Josie or what powers it possessed. After all, how could they when all the potential research sources were currently sitting on Josie’s desk? Making her way towards the cellar, Josie made sure nobody was around before she began her descent.

 

It was hard to miss him, considering his wings were practically glowing. Josie cautiously approached the cell. There, in all his glory, was an unrestrained Cupid playing the lyre. His dexterous fingers glided over the instrument, yet his eyes remained closed, as if the motions were second-nature. The sweet melodies drifted throughout the cellar, creating such a peaceful ambience that Josie almost forgot her mission.

 

“Hello Josie,” the Cupid spoke, the music coming to a halt.

 

Josie’s head shot up, immediately meeting his eyes, which had fluttered open. They were a striking turquoise this time, and she found herself cowering at the confidence conveyed in his expression and stance. “How did you know I was here?”

 

The Cupid chuckled at the question. “I’m a god, dear.” He began to make his way over to the entrance of the cell. “Now... did you come here just to admire me or did you have something to ask?”

 

Josie scoffed at the comment. First he had cursed her, and now he was flirting with her? This creature sure was bold. However, she couldn’t let herself get sidetracked by distractions. “What did you do to me? And how do I stop it?” she demanded.

 

“Straight to the point I see,” the Cupid smirked. “Did you not appreciate my little gift?”

 

Josie clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to set fire to his pristine wings, “Answer the question.”

 

The Cupid wrapped a hand around one of the cell bars, the milky white skin contrasting against the rusting metal. “Oh, I think you know what I did to you,” he gave her a once-over, “as for stopping it, you can’t.”

 

Josie’s heart dropped.

 

“But I can.” The Cupid slowly traced a finger along one of the bars blocking the entrance of the cell. “As long as you get me that urn.”

 

 _Of_ _course._

 

There was only one thing these monsters wanted. Josie had nearly forgotten who she was dealing with. They were just beginning to decipher the mysteries behind the urn; she couldn’t allow it to end up in the wrong hands. The guilt of putting her school in danger was worse than any curse the Cupid could inflict upon her.

 

“You are never leaving this cell,” she responded, enunciating each word, before turning around and storming back upstairs.

 

While she hadn’t gotten the cure she wanted, she had obtained something just as valuable. The quiver outside of the Cupid’s cell remained unattended, and one arrow looked noticeably different from the rest. While the rest of the arrows ended with a sharp arrowhead, this one had a rounded tip. It couldn’t have been a mere coincidence that this single arrow was dull while the rest were sharp. While the Cupid wasn’t looking, Josie had pulled the arrow out of the quiver and slipped it underneath her shirt.

 

* * *

 

It was around the end of the school day when Josie left the cellar. As a result, students were walking from their classes as she exited. This presented a problem because, to get back to her room, Josie would have to pass Hope’s room. This, of course, was not a good idea, as she was actively avoiding the girl. Seeing her would only ignite the emotions that she was trying so hard to push back. It was almost as if being close to her turned off the logic switch in Josie’s brain. She didn’t know what she would do if she were around her, and preferred not to find out. Thus, she made the decision to go in the opposite direction of the students. Her legs dragged her onwards, far from the other students’ path. Before she knew it, a door marked “ROOF” halted her determined march. It seemed as if, whenever Josie was under the slightest bit of stress, she would always retire to her trusty spot on the roof. It was always secluded, and the silence allowed her to think. She turned the handle and stepped out, immediately being met with a cool breeze that somehow calmed her down. It was a temperate day; the cloudless sky, like a crystal, was diaphanous and glimmering through the sunlight. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself a moment to bask in the sun’s warm rays, letting the peace and stillness envelop her...

 

“Well, well, well... what do we have here.”

 

Josie’s eyes shot open, recognizing the voice instantaneously. She could not catch a break, or so it would appear. “What are you doing here Penelope?”

 

The girl in question was sitting on the ledge of the roof, her back facing the horizon. If she leaned slightly back, she would have fallen right off. Considering how much the girl loved danger, Josie thought it was safe to assume her positioning was intentional.

 

“I could ask you the same thing. After all, at least I went to class today,” Penelope teased, “So, what is Josie Saltzman doing playing hooky?” Her teasing tone now contained a hint of curiosity.

 

Josie chose to ignore the fact that Penelope had noticed her absence. “I... wasn’t feeling well.” It wasn’t technically a lie; she had barely gotten any sleep last night and the day’s events hadn’t left her feeling particularly cheerful. Her mind and body were in constant conflict, and she was finding it difficult to maintain her sanity.

 

“You look more than fine to me,” Penelope responded, cocking her head and shamelessly looking Josie up and down.

 

Josie coughed twice, well aware of how fake it sounded. “You might want to stay back, it might be contagious,” she retorted sarcastically.

 

Penelope scoffed, “As if that would stop me.” She opened her mouth as if to say something, hesitated, then asked in a softer voice, “How are you feeling?”

 

Josie was startled by the question. She didn’t know what she was feeling. She realized that it was a strong possibility that Penelope was referencing the moment that occurred between them weeks ago, after Josie had been rescued from her early burial in the cemetery. However, she hadn’t had much time to think about what happened that night either. After all, shortly after, her and Lizzie were on a plane far from the school. And when she returned, she was instantly being sucked into the drama of a mythical being out for her demise. The pressure of being the Cupid’s experiment was getting under her skin, and she was getting somewhat frustrated searching for a cure on her own. To make matters worse, enlisting the expertise of Hope, the only person who might be able to help her, was out of the question. So, no, she did not have a cohesive answer to that question.

 

Penelope must have taken her silence as a bad sign because she quickly backpedaled, “I meant, with your injury and all. I heard about what happened.”

 

 _Right._

 

Josie had forgotten that the whole school had witnessed her mysteriously collapsing in the middle of the courtyard. “I’m fine, actually,” Josie responded. She gave a small smile of reassurance.

 

Penelope didn’t seem convinced. Still, she didn’t ask any more questions after that. Josie made her way over and sat next to her on the ledge of the roof, where they remained in silence, just appreciating each others’ presence. Every few minutes, Penelope would sneak a quick glance to Josie when she thought she wouldn’t notice.

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, on the other side of school, Lizzie was wondering where her sister had wandered off to all day when she heard a rapid knocking. She quickly bounded over to the door, swinging it open.

 

“Finally, where have you be— wait a second,” the blonde curled her nose in disgust. “What do _you_ want?”

 

Standing on the other side of the doorway was none other than Hope Mikaelson, the bane of her existence. The shorter girl rolled her eyes and craned her neck, attempting to search the room over Lizzie’s shoulder. “Is Josie here?”

 

“Oh, so you’re trying to steal my sister too?” Lizzie huffed, making a move to close the door.

 

“No, wait,” Hope said, stopping the door with her foot. She sounded more urgent this time. “Josie was acting weird yesterday after she got shot. I think she’s hiding something,” she said in a low voice.

 

This seemed to catch Lizzie’s attention. As strong as her disdain was for her father’s mentoree, her concern for her sister was stronger. Now that she thought about it, Josie hadn’t gone to sleep the night before. She had spent nearly the entire night studying some obscure, ancient books. When Lizzie asked about it, she had quickly brushed off her twin and made up an excuse. Lizzie turned around and was relieved to find that the books happened to still be on her desk. Without a word, she walked over to Josie’s desk and picked up the first book she saw.

 

“Cupid,” she said, holding the book up to show Hope. She then opened the front cover to reveal a sketch of a broad-shouldered, robust man hovering in the air, feathery wings flowing behind him. His left hand was gripping a bow, while his right was stretched back, ready to release the taut string that held back a sharpened arrow. Below the image read the short epigraph:

 

“Cupid: God of Love.”


	2. Meet Me at Midnight

Yesterday had officially confirmed Penelope’s suspicions: Josie was most definitely hiding something. She had first formed this suspicion when the girl was shot (with an arrow in her back, for crying out loud) and immediately brushed off people’s concerns, chalking it up to a “dumb prank.” Afterwards, she had watched her as Josie exited the headmaster’s office, flushed, shaking, and oblivious to Penelope’s scrutinization. Then, there was their meeting on the roof. The fact that Josie had gone to the roof was evidence enough that she was experiencing emotional turmoil. Their time together had led to a few shared habits, including resorting to the same hideouts when they were stressed. But, if that wasn’t enough evidence, Josie’s curt and cold responses were. She was definitely hiding something, and Penelope was going to get to the bottom of it.

 

Her schedule told her that she only had a few classes today, so she would have the rest of the day to sort out this mystery. Absorbed in her scheming, the distracted witch turned a corner, only to collide with someone, knocking them to the floor. A heavy book fell out of their hands, sliding across the floor and slowing to a stop at the tip of Penelope’s boot. She picked up the book and stretched her hand out to help the other person up, only to then realize who it was. As she hoisted Josie into an upright position, Penelope internally thanked the universe. It seemed as if it was on her side today, as her first lead would come much sooner than expected.

 

“You know, when I said I was going to make you fall for me, this isn’t what I meant,” Penelope joked.

 

“Where do you even materialize from?” Josie grunted, retracting her hand from Penelope’s after she had balanced herself.

 

Looking down at the book in her hands, Penelope noticed that it was decaying, with the yellowing pages fraying at the corners. The tattered spine was struggling to hold the papers together; in fact, a few loose pages had already broken free and were sticking out of the book at odd, jagged angles. The front cover of the book was faded, concealing the title, but it was obvious that the book was aged well beyond the books that were normally allowed to the students.

 

“Is this contraband?” Penelope raised an eyebrow.

 

Josie finally noticed that her arms, which had previously been tightly clutching the book, were now empty. The unexpected fall had jostled her belongings, and her mind apparently. Swiftly, she leapt forward and panickedly ripped the book from Penelope’s hold. “Of course not, and it’s none of your business anyway,” she said defensively.

 

Penelope could tell when she was lying. “That’s where you’re wrong, JoJo. Everything is my business,” she said before she scanned her surroundings for the first time, noticing that they were standing in the witches’ corridor. “Speaking of which, care to explain why you’ve been lurking outside of Hope Mikaelson’s door?”

 

Josie remained silent.

 

“Fair enough, I can always ask Hope herself,” Penelope said, raising a fist to knock on the wooden door in front of her.

 

A second passed.

 

“Wait!”

 

Penelope paused and smirked, knowing she had gotten what she wanted. The hand that had been poised to knock on the door dropped anticlimactically before she crossed her arms expectantly. Across from her, Josie was nervously fidgeting.

 

“I needed help with a spell,” Josie confessed. She hesitated before continuing, “with... black magic.”

 

 _Black_ _magic?_ _This_ _investigation_ _was_ _taking_ _an_ _interesting_ , _albeit_ _twisted_ , _turn._

 

Josie was far from a rule breaker, and black magic was most definitely banned at the Salvatore School. Luckily for her, Penelope happened to be one of those rule breakers.

 

“Well, why didn’t you just say so earlier? Hope’s not the only one who dabbles in black magic, you know,” Penelope said, “I could help you with it.”

 

It was a bold request, and Penelope was sure Josie would immediately reject her offer and go through with her original plan of asking Hope. She had made it clear that she disapproved of Penelope’s attempts to help her. This made it all the more surprising when Josie perked up, as if a lightbulb had gone off in her head. Based on her expression, she was both relieved and grateful for the offer.

 

“Actually, that would be great. Meet me at the library at midnight,” Josie said before turning and starting down the hallway. After a few steps, she paused in place and turned around. “And.. um... don’t be late,” she said before quickly nodding her head and continuing down the hallway.

 

Penelope watched curiously as the girl left. Another puzzle piece had been added to her growing stack of questions. She had half expected Josie to turn around again and tell her everything. But, for now, she would remain a mystery. At the same time, on the other side of the wall, someone was beginning to put together a puzzle of their own.

 

* * *

 

Midnight could not have come soon enough. Penelope did not understand why Josie had made her suffer through a day of tedious potions classes and M.G.’s hopeless pining after Lizzie before she could get to the good stuff. She had spent the entire day wondering what exactly Josie had up her sleeve, and why she had been so unforthcoming about it. Also, the fact that they were sneaking out to meet in the library past curfew was questionable, at most. Still, Penelope was looking forward to it. While all the students got ready for bed, she found herself staring at the clock, watching the second hand tick along agonizingly. The second it struck half past ten, Penelope snuck out of her room and made her way to the library. Sure, she would be an hour early, but it was better than counting the dots on the ceiling of her room for an entire hour. It seemed Josie had the same idea because the door was already forcefully unlocked by the time she arrived. Stepping into the library, her eyes were drawn to a faint glow emitting from beyond the shelves of books, which she followed until she arrived at a circle of lit candles. Sitting among those candles was Josie, surrounded by randomly strewn papers. The girl was focusing on a sheet of paper in front of her, quietly muttering to herself.

 

“Nice setup,” Penelope spoke, sitting down across from her. Bisecting the circle, at the very center of their ring, was a long arrow.

 

“Since you’re already here, we can just go ahead and get started,” Josie responded absentmindedly.

 

She then looked up, taking in the sight of Penelope for the first time. The girl was dressed casually, as if she had just gotten out of bed. Scanning upward, Josie’s eyes locked with Penelope’s, and she was instantly mesmerized. The eyes that stared back at Josie held the hue of the mourning warblers she often observed in the morning hopping from tree to tree. Much like the bird, they were a strong olive green, with a streak of gold that reflected the glow emanating from the candlelight. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the the long walk to the library, her chest rising and falling rhythmically. Josie was only broken out of her trance when she noticed Penelope’s lips were moving.

 

“Sorry, I didn’t catch that,” Josie admitted sheepishly.

 

“I said, what’s the first step?” Penelope chuckled, shaking her head at the other girl’s distracted nature.

 

 _That’s_ _right,_ _the_ _mission._ _The_ _whole_ _reason_ _Penelope_ _was_ _here._

 

Josie took a deep breath in, knowing neither of them would like her next words, “I need you to cut me.”

 

Penelope’s eyes widened and darted down to the arrow that sat between them. The stone tip glinted back at her. When she had initially offered to assist in the spell, she was completely unaware of what she was getting into. Although the witch was often seen boasting her magical expertise, black magic was still fairly new to her. Picking up the arrow, she eyed the blade warily. While it appeared to just be a normal arrowhead, the end was blunt and dull. Penelope doubted it would be enough to even pierce skin. “I don’t think this is going to do the job,” she said, placing the arrow back down.

 

Josie must have been expecting Penelope’s doubt. Ruffling in her pocket for a moment, she then pulled out a small pocketknife. “That’s why I brought this,” she said, handing the knife to Penelope, who was trying her best to appear nonchalant.

 

She had been so sure in her abilities to perform black magic. She couldn’t back down now, or Josie would lose all respect for her. Plus, she had agreed to do it, and her word was final.

 

“Okay, where should I do it?” Penelope asked, with more confidence this time. Although she disliked the idea of inflicting pain upon her, the best she could do was put on a brave face for Josie, who was obviously nervous beneath her calm facade.

 

Josie extended her hand, her palm facing up. Penelope gently took her hand in her own, then raised the knife to make one deep stroke diagonally across the palm. Josie winced and took a sharp intake of breath as the cool knife lacerated her skin. Immediately, Penelope dropped the knife as fresh blood started pouring from the open seam. Josie was quick to clasp Penelope’s right hand in her own right hand, the one currently spilling blood all over the papers and arrow below. She then clasped Penelope’s left hand until their hands were crossed. The viscous, crimson liquid seeped from Josie’s hand and slowly dripped down Penelope’s hand until it finally dropped to add to the puddle staining the arrow below. Blotchy drops of red painted the floor. Slowly, a bright, red glow began to form and pulse at their conjoined hands. Penelope was drawn out of her shocked state by Josie’s enchanting voice.

 

“Repeat after me,” Josie said before reciting a long spell.

 

Penelope obeyed, reading the spell back to her. Being that it was in an unfamiliar dialect, Penelope wasn’t able to decipher what the words came out to mean. They followed this routine a few more times until, as suddenly as it had begun, the bleeding stopped and the candles blew out, blanketing the room in darkness. The remnants of the candles appeared in the form of a foggy cloud of smoke. Sitting in near pitch-black darkness, the two girls were left wondering whether or not their spell had worked. Josie pulled her right hand away to reveal that the cut had healed itself.

 

Penelope swallowed the lump in her throat and mustered the strength to form words, “Now what?”

 

“I don’t know,” Josie answered honestly.

 

“Do you want me to...,” Penelope was saying something, but Josie had already tuned her out. Her mind was running a mile a minute.

 

The day before, she had discovered a spell listed under a book hidden deep within the library. While all her research had been on Cupid, she had never bothered to search under the “E” section: Eros. The book had said the only cure was being struck by a blunt-tipped arrow. Josie assumed a cut would be an appropriate substitute for being shot by an arrow again. The book also said the arrow must be activated by Eros. She knew the devilish man would not help her unless she was handing him the urn, which was why she had turned to black magic to hopefully activate the arrow’s powers without him. It required two people, but she was actively avoiding Hope. It was a blessing that Penelope had shown up when she did; but now, Josie wasn’t too sure any of it was worth it after all. Her heart was still beating out of her chest, except it had multiplied since she had last seen Hope. Her whole body was buzzing; it didn’t help that one of her hands was still wrapped around Penelope’s. That carnal desire was rising from deep within her again. Except this time, Hope was nowhere to be found. And this time, Josie wasn’t sure if she could suppress it again.

 

 _It’s_ _the_ _spell_ , Josie told herself.

 

“Josie?” Penelope asked, trying to capture the other girl’s attention.

 

At that instant, memories came flooding back to Josie all at once. She thought back to her birthday night, when Penelope had used her lips to convey the innumerable emotions she had kept away for so long. Josie had reciprocated, even dove back in for a second kiss. At the time, she wasn’t sure why she had done it, just that she needed to. There was no hesitance in her actions back then. These familiar feelings came rushing back tonight when she first saw Penelope, standing between the flickering flames of a dozen candles. She couldn’t quite pinpoint what she was feeling then.

 

Josie cocked her head to the side, observing the girl sitting across from her. Penelope stared back at her in confusion.

 

 _It’s_ _the_ _spell_ , Josie’s internal voice repeated. She needed a valid reason to do what she was about to do.

 

However, there was a nagging part of her brain that told her it was something else. Perhaps it was the nostalgia, or the intimacy of what they had just done, or the moonlight streaming softly through the windows and shining directly on Penelope’s profile, casting an angelic spotlight on her. Whatever it may be, something was fueling Josie’s desire to ever so slightly lean forward.

 

 _The_ _spell_ , the voice whispered.

 

Penelope’s glazed over eyes picked up on the movement and slightly widened. One of Josie’s hands moved to rest on the back of Penelope’s neck. Penelope, despite her shock, did not resist the advances. She took this as a good sign, leaning further in. At this point, she could hear the pounding of Penelope’s chest and feel her warm breath on her cheeks. Gradually, the space between them started closing in.

 

Just before their lips met, the sound of a door slamming shut startled the two, causing them to immediately jolt apart, this time much farther apart than before. Just as quickly as it came, the moment had ended. Hope and Lizzie came storming in, Lizzie suspiciously darting her eyes between the two witches.

 

“Lizzie? Hope? What are you two doing here?” Josie asked frantically. She knew that, at one glance, Hope would recognize that she was performing a black magic ritual.

 

“What’s going on?” Penelope chimed in.

 

Lizzie took a second to complete a final assessment of the situation before finally focusing on Josie. “We need to talk,” she said then, this time facing Penelope, “Josie’s in love with Hope.”

 

* * *

 

To her credit, Lizzie knew how to capture an audience’s attention. After her dramatic and shocking exclamation, she then went off on a long tangent explaining how she had come to find out about Cupid, the arrow, and Josie’s odd behavior. Hope had noticed Josie avoiding her, and enlisted Lizzie’s help to discover what the girl’s twin was hiding. They spent a few hours afterward reading through the books on Josie’s desk, splitting the work between the two of them. Lizzie was visibly disgusted by the whole situation, but claimed it just served as more motivation to rid Josie of the curse.

 

“But how did you know we would be here?” Josie asked. She thought she had been secretive about her plans.

 

Lizzie rolled her eyes. “You’re not that slick, you know. I woke up as soon as I heard you leave.”

 

“Wait, you followed me here?” Josie asked in disbelief.

 

“Next time you make plans to sneak out, make sure you’re not standing right outside of my door,” Hope chimed in, unimpressed. Then, scanning the scene presented before her, said, “I assume you just did the Eros spell.”

 

“Sorry, what spell exactly?” Penelope asked, frustration evident in her voice. She was still recovering from the shocking moment that had almost occurred between her and Josie when Hope and Lizzie marched in, talking about Greek gods and other things Penelope had never heard of. She wasn’t very fond of being the only one in the dark.

 

“You were helping with a spell without even knowing what it did?” Hope asked, judgment evident in her voice. Penelope glared at her in response, but decided it would be best to ignore the condescending tone that laced the question. In hindsight, it had been foolish to perform black magic with no background on what she was getting herself involved in. But her curiosity had overpowered her sensibility. Plus, she had trusted Josie.

 

“It’s supposed to cancel out the effects of the arrow,” Lizzie said, “So did it work?”

 

Josie began wringing her hands together nervously. She had followed the procedures and done everything correctly, but just seconds later was trying to kiss the first person she saw. Even now, her stomach was doing somersaults and her heart was racing. The effects were far from dissipating, proving that the spell had not worked. Something had gone wrong somewhere, she just wasn’t sure when that was. Part of her told her it was Hope’s presence that had broken the spell, causing the desire for affection to return. It was the only sensible explanation.

 

_Right?_

 

Disappointment washed over Penelope. Josie’s silence following the question was enough of an answer for her to get up with a huff and leave the library, accompanied by a dull thud as the heavy doors shut behind her.

 

* * *

 

Josie spent the next morning scouring the school in pursuit of Penelope. She was getting the sense that the other girl was avoiding her after last night’s events. Penelope had stormed out quite suddenly, leaving the rest of them in the dark (literally). Josie wasn’t sure what she had done to upset her. Perhaps she had taken advantage of the fact that Penelope was convenient, but it wasn’t fully her fault. Still, she wanted to thank Penelope for her help reciting the spell, although it did not end up working. Josie breathed a sigh of relief when she caught sight of M.G. leaning against a wall and talking to a cluster of vampires. The boy was dramatically retelling a story and gesticulating when Josie walked up to him.

 

“Oh, hey Josie. Are you here to hear my superhero stories as well?” M.G. grinned before mimicking Superman’s stance, jutting his chest out proudly, much to the amusement of the vampires around him.

 

“Actually,” Josie started, “I was wondering if you knew where Penelope was.”

 

M.G. stopped his antics and squinted his eyes in concentration, one hand coming up to stroke at his chin emphatically. “Let me see... well, I think I just saw her in the dining hall,” he said, pointing to the room at the end of the hall.

 

With that, Josie was off again, throwing a quick “thank you” over her shoulder to the young vampire.

 

Just like M.G. said, Penelope was sitting alone at a table in the dining hall. Students were boisterously laughing around her, yet she remained unbothered. Her eyes were so fixated on the book she was reading that she didn’t notice Josie walking up until she was sat directly across from her.

 

“How’s the book?” Josie asked.

 

“Fine,” Penelope curtly responded, still focused on the novel.

 

To her left a group of rowdy werewolves hollered as they took turns throwing pretzels into each other’s mouths. To her right, a group of witches loudly discussed their plans for the weekend, erupting in a fit of laughter every so often. There was no way Penelope was able to concentrate in such a loud and busy environment. She was now certain that Penelope was avoiding her by trying to blend in with the masse of students around her.

 

Josie cleared her throat, “I never got to thank you for helping me last night.”

 

Silence. Penelope didn’t even look up from her reading to acknowledge the statement.

 

“I know it didn’t work out, but I just wanted you to know that I appreciated your help anyway.”

 

Still silence.

 

“And about what happened—,” Josie started before Penelope finally looked up from her book and raised a hand to signal for Josie to stop.

 

“Just forget about it, okay?” Penelope said, her eyes still avoiding Josie’s. “We were confused... it meant nothing,” she said before getting up from the table and exiting to the hall.

 

Josie groaned and buried her head in her hands as her fickle friend walked away, feeling just as unaccomplished as before.

 

* * *

 

The confrontation with Penelope hadn’t gone quite as planned. To make matters worse, a deep ache was beginning to form in Josie’s chest. It took her a few moments to recognize the familiar tell-tale signs of heartbreak. The ache grew stronger and stronger until Josie could no longer ignore it. Quickly, she went searching for something to alleviate the pain.

 

A few minutes later, she again found herself on the other side of Hope’s room. The occupant of said room was almost always there, if she was not training and going on missions with Alaric. As a result, Josie was not surprised when the door quickly swung open after she knocked.

 

“What’s wrong?” Hope asked, noticing the strained expression on her friend’s face. One of the reasons why Hope was such a great friend to have was that she could be extremely intuitive when she wanted to be.

 

“I don’t know...,” Josie stammered, unsure. “I just felt like I needed to see you.”

 

“Are you okay? You look a little....” the sentence remained unfinished, as it was then that Hope noticed a passerby staring at the two. “Actually, come on in, let’s talk,” she said while opening the door wider and motioning for Josie to enter.

 

The first thing Josie noticed was that Hope’s room was extremely organized. The bed was neatly made and the desk was spotless; one would not be able to immediately recognize who inhabited the space. While Josie’s room was decorated with pictures of her and Lizzie, Hope’s room was lacking in personality.

 

“So, what’s going on?” Hope asked after shutting the door behind her.

 

“Well...,” Josie started hesitantly, taking a moment to weigh her options. She could either tell Hope everything and run the risk of involving others in her personal issues, or she could continue suffering alone.

 

Perhaps it was the fact that she had just been rejected and was feeling more vulnerable than ever, or that she still considered Hope one of her closest friends, but Josie felt that she could tell Hope anything. So that’s exactly what she did. She started from the night of her birthday, to the moment she got shot, to her encounter with the Cupid, to her moment with Penelope, and finally to her the heartache that was still consuming her. Hope allowed Josie her full attention, and listened carefully to each word. At some moments, she would frown in dissent. However, she would stay silent and continue listening. Finally telling someone what was on her mind had a cathartic effect on Josie, whom didn’t realize how burdened she had felt by the withheld information. After what felt like hours, Josie finally finished her rant. Immediately, it felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She paused, gauging Hope’s reaction.

 

Hope remained silent, squinting at Josie as if she was trying to see into her head.

 

Finally, the girl spoke up. “You’ve been here for almost an hour, right?” She asked, to which Josie nodded. “And half of that time was spent talking about Penelope.” The statement was not accusatory but, rather, curious.

 

“Why do you think that is?” Hope looked at her expectantly.

 

 _That_ _is_ _a_ _good_ _question._

 

“She’s a big part of my life,” Josie said.

 

It was true, Penelope _was_ a big part of Josie’s life, whether she wanted her to be or not. They had started as friends, which had quickly blossomed into a relationship. It had started out like any other new relationship, with flirtatious promises whispered in crowded halls and longing gazes exchanged from across the room. They had been infatuated with each other. However, at the same time, they were young and naive and, in the end, unable to fend off the many obstacles that came their way. Despite this, Penelope had stayed in Josie’s life. Although most of the time she was teasing and provoking her and Lizzie, she had still remained. Before Penelope, Josie had been accustomed to people entering and leaving her life as they pleased. Having the other girl around was a breath of fresh air.

 

“Well, If we’re being honest here, it doesn’t seem that whatever you’re feeling right now is because of any curse or spell,” Hope continued.

 

The message behind the assertion was clear. Josie had been so involved with her story and preoccupied with thoughts of Penelope that she failed to realize the absence of feelings towards Hope. Just a few days ago, Hope’s mere gaze would have led to an eruption of emotions. Now, it just felt like what it was: the look of a concerned friend. Josie’s mind flashed back to last night, to the candles around her suddenly extinguishing, to her smooth palm that had just been split open, gushing blood. There had been a sense of finality to it all. And Josie had followed every step—painfully so. Perhaps the magic had worked after all. But if the spell had worked, why was her heart still aching? Why was she currently undergoing the same rollercoaster of emotions she had experienced all those months ago?

 

“It’s Penelope.”

 

Josie resented the fact that Hope was always right.

 

* * *

 

The second time around, Josie didn’t need M.G.’s help locating Penelope. She knew her ex-girlfriend well enough to know where she would be at this time of day. As she stepped out into the air of the still, spring day, her eyes shot to the girl teetering off the edge of the building. Her back was turned to Josie, instead facing the striking view in front of them. The sun was just setting, casting a warm, orange hue across the sky. Countless shades of reds and oranges radiated from the sun and painted the sky, staining flocculent clouds with a pale, peach hue. The large, glowing orb of a sun was partially concealed by the trees on the horizon, whose long trunks reached like fingers higher and higher, towards the sky. Josie was instantly brought back to the days in which her and Penelope would meet on the roof just to watch the sun set. As the sun inevitably sunk lower and lower into the horizon, Josie would clutch Penelope tighter, not wanting their time together to end. Penelope would kiss the top of her head, pulling her closer into her warm embrace. Their relationship was passionate, powerful, and fiery; but, just like the sun, it had set.

 

Josie took a few steps forward and took in the sight of the girl before her. Penelope’s hair casted a slight shadow over her face but Josie could make out the light reflecting off the thin sheen of moisture that covered her cheeks. After making her presence known by joining Penelope on the edge of the roof, Josie noticed Penelope quickly use the end of her shirt sleeve to wipe at her face.

 

“It’s beautiful,” Josie said, motioning at the sun. Penelope nodded in agreement.

 

They sat in silence for a few seconds before Josie spoke up again. “I’m sorry,” she said, turning to face Penelope.

 

Penelope’s gaze remained fixated on the setting sun while she swallowed thickly and composed herself. “I told you to forget about it,” she said firmly.

 

 _She_ _always_ _was_ _a_ _stubborn_ _one._

 

“I’m sorry that I used you... and that I’ve been so unavailable,” Josie continued. “I was so busy hating you that I—“ she paused, taking a second to think before starting over, “It took a supernatural creature forcing me to love the wrong person for me to realize what I truly wanted,” the words flowed out.

 

Finally, Penelope turned her head to face Josie. In this moment, Josie had never seen her so vulnerable. Doubt, insecurity, and hope were swimming in the deep recesses of her olive eyes all at once, which were coated by a light film. The tough exterior she had tried so hard to build was slowly crumbling.

 

“What about the spell?” Penelope asked, still cautious about the situation.

 

“I don’t think we need to worry about that anymore,” Josie said, placing her hand over Penelope’s, “We made a pretty great team.”

 

Penelope’s stiff posture finally loosened, and Josie could almost see the rapidly turning wheels in her brain slow down. But still, she waited. Waited for the final confirmation from Josie that it wasn’t all in her head, that she wasn’t about to go down a path again that would only end in disappointment.

 

“I want _you_ , Penelope,” Josie finally said, “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize that.”

 

With that, Penelope let out a subtle smile, so small that one would fail to notice it, had they not been as close to Penelope as Josie currently was. Before she knew it, two hands were softly cupping her face. Josie’s heart beat faster and faster as Penelope leaned in towards her; there was nothing but vulnerability and kindness in her eyes. Josie’s eyes flitted to Penelope’s soft, parted lips one last time before her eyelids shut. Their lips grazed together before meeting in a gentle kiss, soft at first, and then gradually increasing in intensity until Josie was clinging to Penelope like she was the only thing anchoring her to this reality. Warm ripples shuddered through her body as she brought her hand to the nape of Penelope’s neck, the repressed emotions of the past few weeks pouring out all at once. In that instant, it felt as if things had never changed. Josie was vaguely aware of herself pulling Penelope closer, of Penelope’s hair lightly tickling her cheek, and of Penelope’s lips faintly tasting of warm honey. After that, all thoughts flew out the window as she let herself get lost in the moment.

 

There would be time to talk. But, for now, Josie just wished she could stop the sun from setting.

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, as the ardent lovers reunited, another passionate lover had approached his unforeseen departure. Many feet below, within the cellar, a single note could be heard floating throughout the cells, echoing and ricocheting off the cement walls. In an unoccupied cell at the end of the hall, a lone lyre lay abandoned on the floor, one of its strings still vibrating, back and forth... back and forth...

 

Next to it rested a single white feather.


End file.
